Hey I'm back! And sorry! It's been so long... to be honest I just had a writer's block due to stress of getting my silly little life together! It's not perfect yet, however I will now be studying animation next year so it's getting there! I just badly need a job:S So if you live in Australia(VIC) and know of jobs let me know! haha... it's worth a shot haha

IMPORTANT: HAVE YOU MISSED CHAPTER 14 (TAB 12: Perhaps it's a Sweet Dream)? I uploaded it at the same time as chapter 15 and I noticed a TONE of people reading 15 and not 14... so please, go back, you missed one! And I am about to do the same thing if I can keep myself awake, I have another chapter after this to upload, either soon or tomorrow morning. SO CHECK WHERE YOU ARE UP TO! :D Please and thank you! x

I did want to upload this on christmas day (I am not religious, but x-mas is still a bit of fun) so HAPPY HOLIDAYS! (That's the inclusive way of saying that right?:P well you get what I mean!) But I was wore out by the end of the day, then the next day I was just in a crappy mood so I just watched a lot of Flash... you feel me? haha... okay... I will stop wasting your time now haha

I will reply to reviews down below:) x

Chapter 16: To resist Sleeping Beauty

Light chatter filled the room in which the young prince slept. His gold locks fall further across his face as he unconsciously buries his head deeper into the side of the other occupant of the king sized bed.

"Oh, he moved again. That's a good sign." Said Murata, he sat beside the bed on a blue, cushioned chair.

The other occupant of the bed couldn't hide the blush that had formed at the sudden contact to the side of his stomach. He briefly let his eyes wander to the curled up demon beside him, before resting them back on his friend sitting next to the bed.

"Yeah, but he still hasn't woken, even briefly. I don't understand. Why it is taking him so much longer? I woke up yesterday, but I remember coming in and out of consciousness a few times before that." Yurri said, gripping a book tighter in his lap. Murata lent it to him while he was bed ridden.

Sighing Murata pushed up his glasses and replied, "Like Gisela said, he used Binding Sight on the both of you. It allows one partner to experience the effects of a certain drug that the other has consumed. Or in this case, it is a medical version of the drug that also puts the consumers to sleep. It is used when someone like yourself with extreme majutgu or someone with too little majutgu to process a drug effectively, to connect with the other person's majutgu and, I guess, have two bodies instead of one processing the initial drug. Unfortunately, what she didn't want to mention was that it is highly unpredictable and dangerous. If the person with lesser majutgu body can't handle their partner's majutgu, then it could do serious damage to their body. That is why it is rarely used, how he even got his hands on it is another thing. And I don't need to mention the fact that your power is unrivalled. "

Unable to hide the worry in his voice, Yuuri replied, "Gisela mentioned something like that. Although, to be honest, it was all a bit hard to understand yesterday. My head is still a little sore. She just mentioned something about needing to stay physically close until we both recovered, because…um…"

It wasn't often that the Great Wise Man would fidget, yet now, in front of his dear friend he could not give him the full reassurance that everything would be okay, as he knew Yuuri wanted to hear. And so Murata moved his eyes away from the other and stared at his black trousers while playing with the hem of his black jacket. He said, "Because your majutgu and spiritual energy is connected. So it is as if both your bodies are working to process the drug, and heal whatever damage it caused to your system together. Which is probably out of your system, otherwise you wouldn't have woken. However due to Wolfram having less power, and the fact that this drug 'O', that was in your system originally, works differently depending on the majutgu, it is going to take some strain on his body. So it best to stay close in case you're still connected and he is still using your system to overcome the damage it has most likely caused in his, otherwise he…might not be able to handle it alone."

"That sounds…much more serious than I first thought. Will he be okay?" Yurri said, drawing his eyes back to the sleeping demon beside him. They were back at the castle now. They had arrived two days ago, with Yuuri properly waking from his slumber yesterday to find they had been place in the royal chamber.

"I… well, he seems to be doing remarkably well considering everything. I mean, he is a very powerful demon. If it had been anyone else in his place they mightn't have made it through the first few hours. He is lucky to be in the condition he is." Murata replied, doing his best to keep his voice even.

"I see." Yuuri said sighing, "You know, it has been years and I still haven't gotten used to this world. I didn't even think drugs were that much of a problem here compared to Earth. But it seems even the Great Demon Kingdom has its own problems with drugs and alcohol. But, that aside, I just hope that Wolfram wakes up soon."

Even though he woke yesterday, not quite understanding what he had been told, he was furious that no one had tried to stop Wolfram from making the reckless move he had. However, he was quick to realise that his advisers had little control over what had happened, and he apologised later in the day for his outburst. Although, considering he was a gentle man by nature, his outbursts (unless in extreme situations) where never that loud, or unreasonable. He knew already that when the demon next to him woke, that he would not see anything wrong with what he had done. Yuuri's people were conditioned to sacrifice for their kingdom and its Maou, and the more years that passed, Yuuri was beginning to understand that. However it still didn't lessen the pain knowing that someone had made a sacrificed for his sake.

Murata watched the scene before him with slight sadness in his heart. He had seen the effects of this drug in some of his past lives, and in his experience it wasn't something to be messed with. However, that was now many lifetimes ago and Gisela had assured him that the medical adaptation of the drug was more reliable - if only that would lessen the dread in his stomach and pain in his heart, he thought.

"He has made it this far, and if anything, do you know a person more stubborn than Wolfram? I don't see this stopping him from doing his duty" Murata said, trying his best to keep his dear friend and himself in a positive mood.

Brightening up a little, Yuuri replied, "You're probably right. He should be fine. Although I doubt I will be once he wakes up and realises where we are."

They both laughed at that notion, knowing perfectly well how Wolfram could be in awkward situations like this. Yuuri was glad he was the first to wake. If Wolfram had woken before him he was sure that the demon prince would not have appreciated the state they were tangled in. Yuuri's stomach stirred with the memory. He had awoken with his head resting on the demon's chest and his left leg draped across the blonde's legs, with Wolfram's nightgown dangerously high and blankets kicked mostly off the two. He was embarrassed to say the least, but he couldn't quiet forget how cosy he felt. However the cosy feeling was quickly replaced by the unwanted reminder that he had not been alone in the room with just the prince. In fact, the second prince of the castle, Wolfram's second oldest brother had been watching over them for any signs of consciousness. Apparently many people were taking turns watching over them. They hadn't bothered covering them with the blanket again as Yuuri had been kicking it off in his sleep. He cringed with idea of them watching him sleep, let alone knowing that they had watched him cuddle another man. Another man who happened to be their younger brother none-the-less, times like these he wished he could run away and hide back on Earth.

After the laughter had died down, Yuuri allowed his eyes to wander back to the blonde demon, while ignoring the nostalgic feeling he got from seeing the man in his bed in that ridiculous frilly pink nightgown. It seems once they had returned to the kingdom someone had changed them into their preferred sleepwear (Yuuri tried hard not to think about being changed like some sort of child yet again).

Breaking the silence, Yuuri let his thoughts wander out loud as he said, "You know, he asked me not to hate him… right before… well…you know."

Murata lowered his head and willed his eyes not to look at his blonde friend before responding,

"Listen Shibuya, we all have things in our pasts that we aren't proud of. And, although you personally haven't been in a situation where you might feel ashamed of something you have done, you have to understand that not everyone is as lucky. From what I have heard here and there, Wolfram might have some things that he wants to keep to himself. And I heard what happened in the baths a few days ago, from the sounds of it he is coming to terms with some of his more recent actions towards you, and he doesn't like what he is seeing."

Turning to face Murata, Yuuri replied, "But I told him it wasn't like that, that I didn't see it as… well, I don't think of him badly."

"I know, you are too kind." Murata said with an understanding smile.

"He said that too." Yuuri said with exhaustion. He was beginning to hate the word 'kind' from the amount of times he has heard it since arriving on these lands. It was really in the way people said it that bothered him, he wasn't sure if he liked it. It was as if they were implying that it was both admirable, but also something that one should not be proud of, as if the trait was a rare quality, and should not be one that a strong leader holds. He knew that it was because most of them had seen things worse than what he could imagine- things that made them cynical. That is why he had to stay positive, keep teaching his beliefs in the hopes to convince them that a stronger, brighter future could only be achieved his way. It just doesn't mean that-that word didn't irritate him. "Anyway, what did you mean you heard things here and there? What did you hear?"

"Shibuya, rumours are just rumours, and personally, I don't get why it's such a big deal, however, Wolfram is a proud man. You are his king and someone he clearly admires. Can you blame him for wanting to stay in your good graces? Just let it be, if he wants you to know he will tell you himself."

Huffing, Yuuri replied, "Yeah, you are probably right. I am just getting pretty sick of all these secrets. They want me to lead them, yet at the same time they don't want me to get to know them well enough to understand. I mean, Conrad and even, dare I say, Gwendal now, are slowly opening up to me about their past. Gunter has always been helpful teaching me the important history of the kingdom, but it is hard to understand their position unless they are willing to share it all. It's been helpful getting to know people like Gisela and Sasha more. Sasha especially has been helping a lot when it comes to understanding what the common people want and need. But Wolfram … I don't know. I just don't get it. We used to be so close. At least, I thought we understood each other for the most part. Yet, now I am beginning to realise I know very little about him. And I know that I am being unfair, but it is frustrating, you know? I just can't help it."

That feeling of constant anxiety was starting to come back now that he was fully awake. Now that he understood what had happened, he remembered all the issues he had yet resolved.

"You know Shibuya, whether you like to believe it or not, you were engaged for the most part. I get that you were uncomfortable with the idea of being betrothed to another guy, however you have to understand from his perspective it was only natural. I mean, without realising it you started it all. He didn't get that you would not just accept his presence, as I doubt he has ever heard the word no from someone in his life. I mean, look at him. He's a rare specimen even amongst demons. Putting aside his hot-headed personality, most people would be crazy not to want to be with him. But you-"

Yuuri was quick to cut him off; he didn't need a reminder of how much others adored his friend looks.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm stupid and just didn't get their ways. I really didn't think he took it all that seriously. The only thing he cared about was his pride and reputation, so in respecting that, I didn't do anything about the engagement. I thought it was more of a front. I know it is a crappy excuse, but hell, I was just a kid. My life was turned up side-down in a blink of an eye. How else was I mean to take it all? If I could go back and fix it all I would…"

Sighing again, Murata replied with sight disappointment creeping in his voice, "Yeah, I know. But come on Shibuya, a front? For all those years? Who are you trying to kid?"

Silence settled between them again. Yuuri wasn't sure what to say, no one had really comforted him about the engagement. No one questioned the way it ended or even how long it went for. He wasn't so clueless that he didn't sense the annoyance from the older men around him. At first, he thought, that perhaps they were frustrated at the fact that their little brother was adamant about holding onto it, and maybe some part of it was that Yuuri was sensing. However it became obvious once their little brother left the castle that they were holding some resentment towards him too. He guessed he couldn't blame them, after all, now looking back on it he was essentially leading their brother on. He said no to it all plenty of times, he protested that he could not be with another man and embarrassed himself with his childish outbursts. Yet, he never really did anything about it. He never put his foot down to last, he never sent soldiers to take the other demon from his bed, he never stopped Wolfram following him around and keeping him company. The truth was, he quiet enjoyed knowing that he was always there. He felt he never had to look back with Wolfram near. Sure, they had a rocky relationship, but no one could ever say it was a dull one.

"You're right Murata. There is no excuse, and I have nothing to say to defend myself. I just got used to it, and to be honest with you, I didn't mind the way things were. Even if it was all just a joke." He replied, with a touch of bitterness.

Taking off his glasses to wipe the lenses, Murata replied, "Listen, don't worry about it now. You were just a kid coming from a different world. You have done a lot of good in this country and you were bound to make a few mistakes. As long as you learn from them and move forward then I don't see any real harm. Wolfram might be hurt now, but he will get over it. Demons live a long life; you would be surprised about how much that changes people."

He gave his best smile in the hopes to cheer up his gloomy friend as he returned his glasses to their spot. Then with his brows furrowed he said, "More importantly, why the hell aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Yuuri was wearing his light blue pyjamas minus the top.

Without much thought Yuuri replied, "He's hot."

"True, but I still don't see why that has anything to do with you not wearing top." Murata said with a smirk.

Yuuri's eyes quickly returned to Murata, his checks flushing furiously he replied, "Ugh, not what I meant! As in boiling hot, temperature, not - never mind. Gisela said to keep the blankets on him as he needs to stay warmer than the average demon, to help his body process this all. And I thought that perhaps the blankets would restrict him if I sat on top of them, as he normally likes to move around a lot. So… this was my only option."

Getting up from the blue chair, Murata couldn't supress his amusement; with a wink he said, "Whatever you say, Your Majesty."

Yuuri pretended to throw his book at the other man before watching him head towards the door.

"Well on that note I am off. Enjoy the novel, but no touchy-feely with sleeping beauty over there while I'm gone, okay? You may be king here, but it still doesn't give you the right."

"Murata!" Yuuri cried, leaning down he picked up a white slipper and threw it at the man, however Murata made it out in time with the slipper making contact with the door. Laughter could be heard as the man made his way down the hallway.

"That ass" Yuuri mumbled with humour.

Once again it was quiet. Yuuri felt it was strange to be alone again in this room. It was now after noon and he'd had visitors since morning - he was grateful that Murata would be the last one for a while.

The young king leaned back into the bed and let the book rest in his lap. He wondered if it was strange that he felt somewhat awkward in his own room. Looking around he noticed pictures and belongings, like the baseball sitting next to Greta's drawing of him, Wolfram and her (which was framed on his desk), the strange creature – cat - thing Gwendal made for him, the photo of his family back on Earth and the books Gunter gave him - everything that added to the room making it his own. Yet, in his own room he felt like a stranger once again. It was as if he was suddenly fifteen again, not knowing this world and expected sleep quietly with a strange boy apparently equitant to his age, yet told he was really older than his own grandfather. Magic, dragons, demons, him king. How was he just meant to accept that? To believe that he hadn't just hit his head and gone crazy?

But now he was a man with more knowledge and more heart for this world, and because of that, he had the realisation that this was now his home too. In fact, it had become the home
he held in his heart without much thought. Slowly his time here, risking his all for these people and this country had turned into risking it all for his own country and for the people he considered his family. A half-assed smile briefly spread across his lips at the notion of family who were once strangers. So to feel on edge and strange in his own room, in his own castle and land was, well, annoying, weird and he concluded, it was indeed strange.

Yuuri was sitting up with a few white pillows at his back, with the other demon curled to his side. Wolfram's head neglected his own pillows and instead he instinctively and gently pressed his forehead against Yuuri's exposed stomach. His hands were lazily curled up beneath his chin, while his legs were pulled half in towards his own chest.

Yuuri found himself painfully aware of the small stands of hair that softly stroked his skin each time the other demon stirred. The soft tickle of hair once again sent sparks to his stomach as the unconscious demon's hand pushes strands of his messy curls from his face, and then returns it back to its place under his chin. The other demon almost laughed as he watched those same strands of hair fall back to their place, making the sleeping prince's attempt pointless.

Yuuri stopped himself before his right hand touched those same gold locks. His fingers pulling away with shame, and perhaps, disappointment as he realised what he was doing.

His body was heating up and he had never quite felt this worked up before. He was acting in ways he knew deep down one shouldn't act towards their friend, yet he had this unnatural curiosity and obsession that was beginning to become too strong to resist.

With a sigh, his hands reached up and rubbed his own face, in the hopes to wake himself out of his unnatural ways.

"Right… so, book time. Tales of the Seventh Maou. A history book, really, Murata? I've really got to start bring my own books from Earth from now on. Perhaps a game-boy too." He said under his breath before taking up the novel and forcibly dragging his mind to focus on it.

Review? Thoughts? You know I love to hear from you:) x

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE :D X

Replies to review: (I am replying while half-asleep...I hope these make sense haha)
Guest(1) 'Just a little more Yuuri': I agree! Yuuri just a little more! But when he is awake otherwise someone will be spending time in Jail! Thanks for your comment, I hope to hear from you again!:)

Daygon Yuuki: it wasn't soon...sorry! But even "update soon" gives me motiavtion to keep going and reminds me that people are reading this, so thank you! I hope to hear from you again :)

Guest(2)for review for chapter 13: I agree! He is slowly understanding that he is feeling things other than 'just friendship' for Wolf. I am 'sighing' with you, hehe thanks for your review! I hope to hear from you again :)

SweetHeaven: long time and I am horrible at replying! Sorry! I will reply soon once I get back from camping! But in reply to your review...hehe I am glad you liked that! I wanted to show how Yuuri is noticing Wolf, and in ways that a friend might not, the start of something special! haha And I am so glad you said all that because I also think that all those things are important! Smart and funny are something I really have to remember! But I totally agree with the 'loyal' thing being the only thing that keeps them together in other stories, I hate that too- it feels too one sided. And I want them to equally want each other, like in my first chapter, wolf saying, "I want to be wanted". Honestly, every time I read your reviews it reinsures me that everything I want to get across, is reaching! And that you clearly desire to see the same depth in their relationship that I do! Just everything you said about things annoying you in other stories is the exact same way I feel when reading some others! Which is why I created this story as it was bugging me! Thank you so much again! I love hearing from you:)

angel9507: It wasn't quiet soon sorry, but your comment, as well as others, gave me motivation to stare at my story and eventually remind myself that I can do this and that people are enjoying this story. Thanks, even little things like "update soon" gives me support and encourages me to continue:) I hope to hear from you again!

wind dancer1981: hehehe thanks! I am so glad you are enjoying it and I hope by the end you still think it is amazing! Thanks so much for your review, I hope to hear from you again, your encourage means a lot :)

Wolfinthedark: omg I can feel the passion coming across the scene! Thank you so much for your review! It means so much, especially because I was trying to get those emotions across and explain everything that happened in a realistic sense. I loved your review and I hope to hear from you again! Thanks :)

sachesan: hehehe I loved that too... that was the fan-girl inside of me coming across. Also, I think we have all felt the need to be physically closer and just hugging or touching a person can, idk, fill that craving we all have. Thanks so much for your review! I hope to hear from you again :)

aoin88: Simple and straight to the point - I love it! It wasn't too soon, but here is the update? haha Thank you for your encouragement and I hope to hear from you again:)

Alli: hehe yay! I am glad! This review really put a smile on my face! Well, to be honest all of them do! But I was feeling particularly down that day and when I got this it gave me the motivation to keep writing and remind myself that I can do this. So really, thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I hear from you again :)